By: Mustapha Hussaini, Sule Ya’u Hayewa
Pages: 407–425, Volume: 3, Number: 1
Published by: AEFUNAI Journal of Economics, Finance and Development Studies, Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, 2/1/2026, 2026
ISSN (Electronic): 2536-6742
DOI:
Examining the Relationship Among Unemployment, Income Inequality, and Poverty in Nigeria
Abstract:
Across nations, reducing income inequality and unemployment remains central to poverty alleviation. This study investigates the dynamic, nonlinear relationships among unemployment, income inequality, and poverty in Nigeria from 1985 to 2023 using the Nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lag (NARDL) model. The results reveal a significant asymmetric effect of unemployment and income inequality on poverty in Nigeria, which is that increases in unemployment and income inequality elevate poverty more sharply than equivalent decreases alleviate it. This finding highlights the persistent and compounding impact of labor-market conditions and distributional disparities on poverty levels in Nigeria. The study concludes that effective poverty reduction requires inclusive growth strategies that specifically target job creation and equitable income distribution.
Keywords: Unemployment, Income inequality, Poverty, Labour market, Socio-economic crisis
How to Cite
Hussaini, M., & Hayewa, S. Y. (2026). Examining the Relationship Among Unemployment, Income Inequality, and Poverty in Nigeria. AEFUNAI Journal of Economics, Finance and Development Studies (AEFUNAI-JEFDS), Vol. 3(1), 407–425.
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0)
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